Rotary engine.



' No. 771,113. PATBNTED SEPT. 27, 1904! G. V. ANDERSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION IILED'JAN. 29, 1904. N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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LVUmwoca No. 771,113. r PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904. G. V. ANDERSON. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET z.

. I 5 lll m M W////////7fl 7 "m a a w w... fimw hxm m W No. 771,113. PATENTED SEBT. 27, 1904 G. V. ANDERSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

NO MODEL.

No. 771,113. PATENTED SEPT.27,1904.

\ G. v. ANDERSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 771,113. PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

G. V. ANDERSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 190*.

N0 MODEL. 5SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

DELAWARE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of LettersPatent No. 771,113, dated September 27, 1904.

Application filed January 29, 1904. Serial 1 To.'l91,092.

(No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

rotary piston, for admitting and exhausting steam, for automatically cutting off steam at desired points, for automatically raising and lowering a valve-gate, for reversing the engine, for manually operating the cut-off-controlling devices, and for operating the controllers through a governor.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 represents, partly in front elevation, partly in section, a rotary engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical transverse section on the line m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents an end view of the device. Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of the device with some of the working portions removed. Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the line yy, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents an end view of the casing partly broken away. Fig. 7 represents, partly in elevation, partly in vertical section, the piston. Figs. 8 and 9 represent opposite faces of a cam. Fig. 10 represents a section through the line 2 2, Fig. 8. Figs. 11 and 12 represent in perspective respectively the casing and inlet-valves.

mentary views of the valve-operating mechanism shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 15 and 16 represent in perspective portions of the same valve-operating mechanism detached. Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive, are on a reduced scale.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the cylinder, which, as shown, consists of the lower section 2 and the upper section 3, which is provided with an extension 4, having valvechambers 5, 6, 7, and 8, connected by ports 9,

Figs. 13 and 14 represent frag-- 10, 11, and 12 with the interior of the cylinder. The sections 2 3 of the cylinder are shown as flanged at 13 and 14 and connected together by bolts 15. One of the sections is shown with a groove 16, into which a tongue 17 of the other section enters, compressing within the groove a packing 18. Within the cylinder is a rotary piston 19, the periphery .of which is grooved at 20, 21, and 22, which has a central partition 23, and which has an .axial aperture 24 for the reception of the shaft 25. Vida Fig. 7.) As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the piston 19 is of considerably less diameter than the cylinder 1, so as to leave a steam-space 26 therebetween. A blade 27, secured in a recess 28 on the periphery of the piston 19, fills this space and makes a steamtight joint with the interior of the cylinder. t the upper part of the cylinder is a valveblade 29, adapted when in its lowermost position to contact with the periphery of the piston 19 and to be raised within a groove 30 in the extension 4 out of the way of the blade 27.

The extension 4 on the upper portion 3 of the cylinder is divided by a cross-partition 31 into two chambers 32 33. referred to, is reciprocable within each of these spaces by means of rods 34 35 passing through stuffing-boxes 36 37, jointed at 38 39 and having their upper ends 40 41 sliding in grooves 42 43 of levers 44 45, mounted, respectively, in brackets 46 47 at opposite ends of the extension 4. Springs 48 49, respectively, act to balance the weight of the blade 29. Mounted at the free ends of the levers 44 45, respectively, are rods 50 51, provided intermediate their ends with turnbuckles 52 53, with longitudinal slots 54 adjacent their lower ends and with pins 55 56 engaging in cam-shaped. slots 57 58 in the faces of cams 59 60, respectively. The upper ends of the rods 50 51 are connected with the levers 44 45, respectively, by means clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. pin 61, relatively movable in an angularlydisposed slot 62 in a head 63 at the ends of the rods 50 51, respectively. Adjustingscrews 64 65, passing through the head longitudinally of the slot 62, are adapted to give I0 A blade 29, above- On the lever 44 is a the upper end of the rods 50 51 a movement transverse of the pins 61.

Rotatably mounted within the valve-chambers 6 7 and at each side of the partition 31 are valves 62, (wide Fig. 12,) having circular heads 63 64 and segmental connecting portions 65, adapted to cover the ports 10 and 11, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Axially projecting from the heads 63 are shafts 66, which project through the ends of the chambers 6 7, both toward the front and rear of the engine. Mounted on the ends of each of the four shafts 66 is a lever 67 the lower end of which is forked at 68 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. A tongue 69 at the upper end of the lever 67 engages in a recess 7 O in an arm 71, pivotally mounted on a rockerplate 72, (wide Fig. 16,) which is loosely pivoted at 73 on the shaft 66. Integral with the arm 71 is a second arm 74, (wide Fig. 15,) adapted to engage in the path of the nose 76 of a cam 77, also loosely mounted on the shaft 66. A pair of cams 77 at each end of the engine are connected together by means of a link 78, and one of them is attached, by means of another link, 79, to a bent lever 80, having a handle 81. In like manner the two rockerplates 72 are connected by a link 82, centrally of which is a pin 83, engaged, by means of a stud 84,with a lever 85, pivoted at 86 on the end of the cylinder 1. A stud 87 on the end of the lever runs in a groove 88 in the face of a cam 89, which is shown as integral with the cam 55, which is mounted on the shaft 25 of the engine and rotatable thereby.

The exhaust-valves 90 (shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings) extend from end to end of the chambers 5 and 8. They are provided at their ends with cylindric portions 91 92 and have a connecting segmental portion 93, adapted to close the ports 9 and 12, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. Axially projecting from the head of each valve 90 is a shaft 94, which passes through the front head of the cylinder 1 and has secured at its outer end levers 95. The two levers 95 are connected together by a link 96, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. One of the levers 95 at the left of the drawings has an extension 97 therefrom terminating in ahandle 98. Shown as mounted between collars on the ends of the shafts 94 is a transverse rod 99, on which are set-collars 100 101 and loose collars 102 103. shown as actuated by springs 104 105, respectively. As clearly seen, the forks 68 bestride the rod 99 and are forced to the left of the drawings, Fig. 3, by means of the collars 102 103 and springs 104 105, respectively. Also mounted on the shafts 66, which project out of the forward end of the cylinder 1, are cams 106 107, connected by a link 108, the noses 109 110 of which engage with the arms 74, respectively. The cam 106 has an arm 111, connected by a lever 112 to the collar 113 of an ordinary ballgovernor 114, which receives motion from the shaft 25 by means of a belt 115 in the usual manner.

The operation is as follows: It will first be understood that the valves in the chambers 6 7 and in the chambers 5 8 are set so that only one of each pair is open at the same time, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is for this reason that the two cams 77 and the two levers 95 are connected together by links 78 and 96, respectively. When it is desired to run the engine in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, the ports 11 and 9 are kept closed and the valves operated are those in the chambers6 8 for the admission and exhaust of steam, respectively. It is evident that steam entering through the pipe 116 (shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings) will pass through the chamber 6 and the port 10 into the cylinder 1 and by its impingement on the blade 27 of the piston 19 will rotate the same, together with the shaft 25, connected thereto. It is also evident that when the blade 27 uncovers the port 12 the steam will pass through said port, the chamber 8, and the exhaustpipe 117. Before the blade 27 reaches the upper limit of its travel the valve-blade 29 is raised, by means of the rod 35, lever 45, rod 51, and cam 56, into the chamber 30, descending again soon after the blade 27 has passed the port 10 of the chamber 6. The admission of steam through the port 10 is governed by the valve 62 through the shaft 66 and lever 67. It will be seen that the rod 85 will be reciprocated on its pivot 86 by the movement of the stud 87 in the cam-groove 88 and that this motion will be transmitted by the link 82 to the rocker-plates 72. When the handle 81 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the nose 76 of the cam 77 at the right of the drawings will engage with the arm 74, so that the tongue 69 of the lever 67 fails to engage therewith. At the left of the drawings, however, there is no engagement between the cam 67 and the arm 7 4, so

that the tongue 69 of the lever 67 at that side engages with the recess 70 of the arm 71. The

reciprocating motion of the rocker plates will therefore be communicated, through the arm 71, to the lever 67 and will open the lever, as shown in Fig. 2. As soon, however, as the nose 109 of the cam 106 engages the arm 74 (wide Fig. 13) the arm 71 will be raised, and the spring 104, acting through the collar 102 on the forked end 68 of the lever 67, will instantly close the valve 66 across the port 10 to prevent the further admission of steam. As the cam 106 is acted on through the lever 112 by the ball-governor 114, it is evident that the cut-off willbe automaticallyregulated in proportion to the speed of the engine. When it is desired to run the engine in the direction opposite to that shown by the arrow in Fig. 2, both levers 80 and 97 are shifted IOC by means of their handles 81 and 98, respectively. The latter acts to open the exhaustport into the chamber 9 and to close that of the chamber 12, the exhaustports not being moved through each revolution of the engine. The movement of the lever 80 acts to engage the nose 76 of the cam 77 with the arm 74 at the left of the engine, (Wide Fig. 14,) and thereby closes the valve 65, which controls the port 10. It also throws the nose 76 of the cam 77 at the right of the drawings out of engagement, so that steam is admitted through the port 11.

It is obvious that the blades 27 are set diametrically opposite each other on the pistons 19, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so that at all times the engine is being positively operated by the expansive force of the steam or other fluid, whereby dead-centers are avoided. To compensate for the wear of the edge of the blades 29, it isevident that the rod portions or 41 may be removed from these respective sockets and the rods 34 35 rotated in the blades. To provide for a finer adjustment, the screws 64 65 are moved so as to raise or lower the pin 61 at the end of the lever 44 by adjusting it transverselyof the slot 62 in the head 63. As already explained, this slot is inclined at a low angle with the horizontal,

the blade 29. In the grooves 21 22 (clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawings) annular packings are placed to prevent the escape of steam. By placing within the recesses 7 O the removable portions marked 7 O in Fig. 15 of the drawings provision is made for wear by reason of. the fact that said portions 7 O may be replaced, as desired. in addition the portions may be specially hardened, so that the wear of their surfaces will be correspondingly reduced. For the same reasons the tongue 69 at the upper ends of the levers 67 are made removable.

It is evident that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art which will come within the scope of my invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited in every instance to the exact construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a plurality of pistons in said cylinder, valvechambers connected with said cylinder, pairs of inlet-valves longitudinally disposed in said chambers. shafts on said valves extending out of the walls of said chambers at both ends thereof, a main shaft on which said pistons are mounted and extending out of both ends of said cylinder, operating means connecting said valve-shaft and said main shaft, connections between each pair of saidvalves exl terior of said chamber and manual means for so that movement of thepin 61, therein acts to slightly raise or lower moving said valves, whereby each ternatively opened and the other closed.

2. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a plurality of pistons in said cylinder, valvechambers connected with said cylinder, pairs of inlet-valves longitudinally disposed in said chambers, shafts on said valves extending out of the Walls of said chambers at both ends thereof, a main shaft on which said pistons are mounted and extending out of both ends of said cylinder, operating means connecting said valve-shaft and said main shaft, connections between each pair of said valves exterior of said chamber, manual means for mov ing said valves, whereby each may be alternatively opened and the other closed, a pair of outlet-valves connected with said chamber, connections between said valves exterior of said chamber and manual means for operating said outlet-valves whereby one may beopened and the other closed.

3. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a plurality of pistons in said cylinder, valvechambers connected with said cylinder, pairs of inlet-valves longitudinally disposed in said chambers, shafts on said valves extending out of the walls of said chambers at both ends thereof, a shaft on which said pistons are mounted and extending out of both said cylinder, operating means connecting said valve-shaft and said main shaft, connections between each pair of said valves exterior of said chamber, a manual lever for moving said valves, whereby each may be alternatively opened and the other closed, a pair of outlet-valves connected with both ends of said chamber, connections between said valves exterior of said chamber and a manual lever for operating said outletvalves whereby one may be opened and the other closed, said manual levers being placed adjacent each other.

4. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, an inlet-valve operatively connected with said cylinder, a rocking lever exterior of said cylinder and connected with said valve, a recessed arm movable transversely of the shaft of said valve exterior of said cylinder, means for automatically moving said arm and automatic speedcontrolled means for releasing said rocking lever from engagement with said arm at a predetermined point in its traverse. 5. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a plurality of chambers in said cylinder, pistons in each of said chambers, inlet-valves operatively connected with each of said chambers, a rocking lever connected with each of said valves exterior of said cylinder, recessed arms movable transversely of the shafts of said valves for rotating the same, means for automatically movingsaid arms,manual means for alternatively moving one of said arms out of engagement with the corresponding rocking lever and automatic speed-controlled means ends of may be alboth ends of IIO for releasing the other rockinglever from en gagement with said arm at a predetermined point in its traverse.

6. A rotary engine comprisinga cylinder, a plurality of chambers in said cylinder,pistons in each of said chambers, inlet-valves operatively connected with each of said chambers, rocking levers connected with each of said valves exterior of said cylinder, recessed arms movable transversely of the shafts of said valves for rotating the same, cams movable in the paths of said arms, connections between said cams and manually-operated means for moving both said cams so as to alternatively move said arms out of engagement with said rocking levers.

7. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a plurality of chambers in said cylinder, pistons in each of said chambers, inlet-valves operatively connected with each of said chambers, rocking levers connected with each of said valves exterior of said cylinder, recessed arms movable transversely of the shafts of said valves for rotating the same, cams movable in the paths of said arms, connections between said cams, manually-operated means for moving both said cams so as to alternatively move said arms out of engagement with said levers, a second pair of cams moving in the path of said arms and connected together and automatic speed-controlled means for releasing said rocking lever from said arm at any pre- I determined point in its traverse.

-8. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a valve-blade radially movable into and out of said cylinder and so as to contact with the periphery of said piston, a pivoted lever operatively connected with said valve-blade, a reciprocating rod connected with said lever for moving said blade, a pin and an angularly-disposed slot common to said lever and said rod and means for adjusting said pin in said slot.

9. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a plurality of chambers in said cylinder, pistons in each of said chambers, valve-blades radially movable in and out of each of said chambers and each adapted to contact with the periphery of the piston in said chamber, a shaft on which said pistons are mounted and extending out of both ends of said cylinder, cams on said shaft at each end of said cylinder, connecting-rods and levers connecting each of said cams with one of said valve blades whereby said blades are alternately reciprocated, and means for adjusting the radial travel of said blades.

10. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a shaft on which said piston is mounted and extending out of said cylinder, inlet and outlet valves operatively connected with said cylinder, means for operating said valves exterior of said cylinder, valve-blades radially movable in and out of said cylinders and. adapted to contact with the periphery of said piston and a unitary cam on said shaft operatively connected to said inletvalve and to said valve-blade.

11. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder longitudinally divided into a plurality of sections, tongues and grooves common to said sections and adapted to engagement with each other and means for compressing a packing placed in said groove and abutting against said tongue.

12. In a rotary engine, an inlet-valve, a rockinglever connected with said valve exterior of the engine, a recessed arm movable transversely of the shaft of said valve engaging said rocking lever and a removable bushing in said recess.

13. In a rotary engine,an inletvalve,arocking lever connected with the valve exterior of the engine and a recessed arm movable transversely of the shaft of said valve engaging said rocking lever, said rocking lever having a removable tongue at its engaging end.

GEORGE V. ANDERSON.

WVitnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, GEO. L. COOPER. 

